Pickup and separating machine

ABSTRACT

A pickup and separating machine, which moves along the ground, has a rotor with a plurality of suction tubes extending downwardly and outwardly therefrom. The tubes are vertically movable, and the ends thereof, which move in orbital paths, are maintained closely spaced from the ground by gage wheels. A centrifugal blower draws articles and debris through the suction tubes, rotor, and a suction duct. A centrifugal chamber and a vortex chamber between the duct and the blower separates the light debris from the articles and heavy debris, which fall through a rotary vacuum sealing valve to a conveyor. The conveyor has an upper run which moves larger debris in one direction and has a lower run which moves the nuts and small debris on a grate in the opposite direction. The grate passes the small debris, and the nuts are carried from the grate by an elevator to a receptacle.

Patterson 14 1 Feb. 6, 1973 [54] PICKUP AND SEPARATING MACHINE [75]Inventor: Joseph M. Patterson, Winter Park, r Maflcene Fla. ASSZSIGHIExammer.l. N. Eskovltz Attorney-Francis W. Anderson et al. [73]Assignee: FMC Corporation, San Jose, Calif.

22 Filed: Aug. 19, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] APPL 173,189 A pickup andseparating machine, which moves along the ground, has a rotor with aplurality of suction Related US. Application ata tubes extendingdownwardly and outwardly therefrom. [62] Division of $61. No. 871,316,Nov, 10, 1969, Pat. No. The tubes vemFany and h Finds 3633738, which isa division of Sen 652506 thereof, wh1ch move 1n orbltal paths, aremamtained July 11, 1967, Pm. N 3,520,123, closely spaced from the groundby gage wheels. A centrifugal blower draws articles and debris through[52] U.S. Cl. ..56/328 R the suction tubes, r, n a suction c A en- [51]Int. Cl. ..A01d 51/00 t ugal chamber and a ortex chamber between the[58] Field of Search ..56/328 R; 171/14, 15 duct and the blowerseparates the light debris from the articles and heavy debris, whichfall through a rotary [56] References Cited vacuum sealing valve to aconveyor. The conveyor has an upper run which moves larger debris in oneUNITED STATES PATENTS direction and has a lower run which moves the nuts2,593,625 4 1952 Stokes ..56/328 R and Small debris on a grate in the ppdirection- 3,460,330 8/1969 Black, Jr..... ..56/328 R The grate passesthe small debris, and the nuts are car- 3,352,094 11/1967 Lemaire..56/328 R ried from the grate by an elevator to a receptacle.l,l06,'668 8/l9l4 Moore ..l7l/l5 X 3,182,437 5/1965 Ramacher et al..56/328 R 5 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENIEDFEB' 6 Ian SHEET UlUF 110w mw mq m Nq MN E m? m; NN Nw ww wN mw mm 0 m9 Nm l 3 mm om .y mu 5 mmH EHIHHI INVENTOR.

JOSEPH M. PATTERSON AT TORNE YS PAIENTEDFEB 6 ms SHEET OEUF 11 N-M-n-hil INVENTOR.

JOSEPH I. PATTERSON ATTORNEYS PATENTEUFEB 61975 3,714,768

SHEET um 11 F'II3 :El

- INVENTOR.

J N JOSEPH PATTERSON AT TORNEYS PATENTEDFEB 6|B73 3.714.768 SHEET sum 11INVENTOR. JOSEPH H. PATTERSON ATTORNEYS T'IB E| PATENTEDFEB 619753,714,768 SHEET USUF 11 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH M. PATTERSON ATTORNEYS PATENTEDFEB 6l973 3,714,768

sum UBUF 11 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH M PATTERSON a? I/M ATTORNEYS PATENTEDFEB s 1973 SHEET 07 [1F 11AT TORNE Y8 PATENIEDFEB 6l975 3.714.768 SHEET U80F 11 1 31' A L :9 129 n135 Q r J o f (L 128 127 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH u. mnzasou ATTORNEYS PATENTEU EB 5 I975 SHEET USUF 11 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH M. PATTERSON BY cuff AT TORNE Y8 PATENTED FEB 6 I573 SHEET 10 0F11 INVENT JOSEPH u. PATTE BY 6 7V ATTORNEYS PAIENIEDFEB 6 I973 sum 11[1F 1 1 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH u PATTERSON BY cf 7'- ATTORNEYS PICKUP AND SEPARATING MACHINEThis is a division of application Ser. No. 871,3l6 filed Nov. 10, 1969,now US. Pat. No. 3,633,738; which was a division of Ser. No. 652,506filed July ll, I967, now US. Pat. No. 3,520,123.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a machinefor gathering randomly dispersed articles, such as nuts, from theground.

One of the problems in gathering small articles from the ground is thedifficulty of grasping the articles because of their size. A method usedheretofore, with some success, has been to pick the articles up bysuction.

In a suction system having a power unit of given size, the force tendingto lift the nut or other article from the ground will depend on the sizeof the suction opening. In general, the wider the opening, the weakerthe suction force. at the opening. Conversely, in a suction system witha small opening, greater suction can be produced at the opening to exerta greater lifting force on the nut.

In the conventional pneumatic nut harvester, the span of the suctionopening determines the width of the swath taken through the nuts on eachpass of the machine, and each nut is exposed to the suction opening onceon each pass. Generally, therefore, with a conventional pneumatic nutharvester, the wider the suction opening, and the wider the swath taken,the weaker the suction and the smaller the percentage of nuts picked up.On the other hand, a small suction opening will produce a small swaththrough the nuts, but a higher percentage of nuts will be gathered. Withsmaller swaths, a larger number of passes will be required to cover thesame area.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION I In the machine of the present invention, arelatively wide swath is taken on each pass of the machine, and a highpercentage of nuts, or articles, encountered can be gathered on eachpass. In brief, in the preferred form of the invention, a rotor mountedin the machine has a plurality of suction tubes extending downwardly andoutwardly therefrom. The tubes, which are vertically movable, aresupported at their outer ends by gage wheels which maintain the outerends of the suction tubes in closely spaced relation to the ground, evenover uneven terrain. As the machine moves along a lorigitudinal, path,the rotation of the rotor moves the ends of the suction tubesindifferent orbital paths (with respect to the ground) about the axis ofthe rotor.

The suction system of the machine has a centrifugal blower atone endwhich expel s air from a blower chamber. The blower draws air throughthe system from the outer openings of the suction tubes at the other endof the system. The air drawn in the suction tubes, which carries thenuts and debris, passes through the rotor and through a suction .duct toa centrifugal chamber where the nuts and heavier debris are separatedfrom the light debris. The nuts and heavier debris fall through a rotaryvacuum sealing valve to a conveyor outside the suction system, and thelighter debris is drawn in a helical path inside the suction systemthrough a vortex chamber into the blower chamber where the light debrisis expelled with the exhaust air.

On the conveyor outside the suction system, the nuts and smaller debrisfall through the upper run of 'the endless web of the conveyor to agrateto be carried in one direction by the lower run of the conveyor,while the larger debris is carried away in the opposite direction by theupper run of the conveyor. The grate retains the nuts but passes thesmaller debris. The nuts are scooped off the grate by elevator bucketswhich dump the nuts into a bag.

The spaced apart suction openings of the suction tubes have a total areawhich is not large in view of the width of the swath made by theorbiting suction tubes. More importantly, however, the suction openingof each tube crosses the longitudinal path of the machine twice on eachrevolution of the rotor, and the suction openings therefore providemultiple exposure of the nuts to suction on each pass of the machine.Moreover, the different orbital paths of the ends of the suction tubesoverlap toprovide even more thorough coverage of the swath on each pass.

It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide a machinefor suction gathering of articles which provides a thorough coverage ofa relatively wide swath. It is another object of the present inventionto provide a nut harvesting machine with multiple coverage of a givenarea on a single pass. It is yet another object of the present inventionto provide a nut harvester which has multiple suction openings movablein overlapping paths across the ground. It is still another object ofthe present invention to provide a nut harvesting machine with multiplesuction openings each maintained a predetermined distance above theground even on uneven terrain. It is a further object of the. presentinvention to separate articles, such as nuts, from debris gatheredtherewith.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a view in perspective'of themachine of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view showing the left side of the machine;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view the machine;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing the rear of the machine;

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing a part of the suction system ofthe machine;

FIG. 6 is a view taken on the lines 6-'6 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a view taken on the lines 7-7 of FIG. 6; I

' FIG. 8 is a view taken on the lines 88 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a view taken on the lines 9-9 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view, taken as the view of FIG. 2, of the rotor;

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic system of the machine ofFIG. 1;

FIGS. 12A to 12F show the orbital paths, respectively, of each suctionopening individually with respect to a common linear longitudinal path;and

FIG. 13 shows the orbital paths of all suction openings collectivelywith respect to a single linear longitudinal path.

showing the right side of DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Thenut harvesting machine has a frame 15 in which a pair of axially alignedaxles l6 and 17 (FIG. 4) are frame and connected, respectively, to thewheels 18.

and 19 by drive trains which include drive chains 21a, 2111,respectively. A single front wheel 22 (FIG. 1) is mounted on an axle 23which is journaled in fork 24. The fork 24 is rotatably mounted in theframe and is connected by chains 25 (FIG. 3) to a steering shaft 26. Thesteering shaft 26, which has a steering wheel 27 secured at the upperend, is received in a steering column 28 secured to the frame of themachine in the operators cab, indicated generally at 29. A seat 30 isprovided for the operator in the cab, and the housing 31 of an internalcombustion engine 32 is mounted on the frame immediately behind theoperators cab.

A rotor 40 (FIGS. 2, l) journaled in frame 15 has a hollow cylindricalbody portion 39 with six rigid tubular sections 41 depending therefrom.Six suction members, or tubes, 42, which are connected, respectively, tothe tubular sections 41 by flexible boots 43, extend downwardly andoutwardly from the rotor. Each suction tube comprises a rigid sleeveportion 44 and a nozzle portion 45. Nozzle 45 is flexible and may bemade of rubber, for example, to avoid damage caused by rocks or otherobstructions. Each of the six nozzles terminate ona generally horizontalplane (when the machine is on level ground) to define six suctionopenings 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46a, and 46f (FIG; 13) parallel to theground.

A pair of diametrically opposed brackets 47 (FIG. 10) are mounted oneach tubular section 41 of the ro-' tor. Tie rods 48, secured-to eachbracket, are pivotally connected on axis A to braces 49 which aresecured to each side of the rigid sleeve portions 44 of the suctiontubes. The flexible boot 43, which may, for example, be made of rubber,and the pivotal connection between tie rods 48 and braces 49, permit thesuction tubes to pivot about axis A with respect to the rotor. Thus, thesuction tubes, and the suction openings thereof, can move vertically. p

I On each suction tube, a gage wheel i) (FIGS. 1 and has an axle51'secured to one of the braces 49. The

gage wheel, which is oriented generally tangential to a circle about thecentral axis B of rotation of the rotor,

' maintains the suction opening 46 at a predetermined height above theground. Preferably, the suction tube is maintained just high enough toclear the nuts sothat the suction opening will be as close as possibleto the nuts. 7

' frame and slopes upwardly from the rotor. The upper end of the suctionduct 55 is connected to separating mechanism 56 as shown in FIG. 5. Theseparating mechanism 56 is made up of three chambers: an entry,

or centrifugal, chamber 57 at the upstream side of the separatingmechanism, an intermediate, or vortex, chamber 58 in the middle of theseparating mechanism, and a blower chamber 59 at the downstream side ofthe separating mechanism.

The entry chamber 57, into which the duct 55 leads has an outer sidewall 60 with an access opening 61 therein as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. Theaccess opening 61, which iscovered during operation of the harvester byremovable panel 62, permits cleaning of the chamber 57. The other sidewall 63 of chamber 57, which separates that chamber from intermediatechamber 58, has an opening 64. A pair of spaced apart curved plates 65and 66 extend between the side walls 60, 63 of chamber 57 and define thefront and rear walls of the chamber 57. Thus, the chamber 57 defines ascroll-shaped passageextending from the end of duct 55 to the opening 64which leads into intermediate chamber 58.

' The intermediate chamber 58, which has side wall 63 and opposite sidewall 70, is defined in part by a curved scroll-shaped plate 71 extendingbetween the side walls 63 and 70 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. Plate 71extends from the right end of opening 64 (as viewed in FIG. 8)

around to a rotary vacuum sealing valve, indicated generally at 72,which is located below the opening 64. Another plate 73, bent in themiddle and extending between the side walls 63 and 70, also forms a partof chamber 58. An access opening 74 in plate 71 is covered duringoperation of the machine by removable panel 75. A shaft 76 of valve 72,journaled in side walls 63 and 70, has six radial paddles 77 extendingacross the chamber 58. The outer ends of each paddle are flexible and,as the shaft 76 rotates, thereis always at least one paddle engaged withplate 71, and at least one paddle engaged with plate 73. Thus a vacuumcan be maintained in the chamber 58, defined by sidewalls 63 and 70,plates 71 and 73, and panel 75, at the same time that the valve shaft isrotating to-pass articles entrained between the paddles from the valve.A curved baffle plate 78 is mounted in chamber 58 and extends across thechamber.

The blower chamber 59 has inner side wall 70, with a central opening 79,and a removable outer side wall 80, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. A curvedplate 81.is formed in cylindrical conformation except for' a rearopening 82-to which a discharge duct 83 is connected. The plate 81extends between the walls and 86m define the blower chamber whichreceives a fan, indicated generally at 84, therein. A shaft 85, whichextends through chambers 58 and 59, is journaled in walls 63, 70'andWithin chamber 59, six fan blades 86 are connected to the shaft andextend radially therefrom. A sheave 87 is connected to shaft outside theseparating mechanism 56. Q

The engine 32 has a power take-off shaft 90 which has a sheave 91mounted thereomEndless belts 92,

received over sheaves 91 and 87, drive the blower fan 84. An idlerpulley 93 isadjustably mounted on the engine housing 31 to maintain-thebelts 92 taut.

, A conveyor has two shafts 101, 102 journaled in the frame 15 (seeFIGS. 2, 3 and 9). Each shaft has two spaced apart sprockets (103, 104,respectively) to receive an endless web 105. The web 105 comprisesparallel, spaced, rods 106 extending transverse to the direction oftravel (indicated by arrows C) of the web. Each rod 106 is linked to anadjacent rod at both ends. The conveyor 100 is positioned under therotary sealing valve 72, and nuts and debris passing through the valvedrop on the top run of endless web 105. The rods 106 are spaced farenough apart to pass the nuts (and smaller debris) which drop throughthe top and bottom run of the web 105 to a grate 107 immediately underthe bottom run. Twigs and other debris, indicated at 99, which are toolarge to pass through the upper run of the conveyor, are transported tothe right (as viewed in FIG. 3) by the upper run of the conveyor andfall to the ground. The lower run of the conveyor engages the nuts ongrate 107 which is made of spaced rods 98 extending in the direction oftravel of the lower run of the conveyor 100. The small debris fallsthrough the grate while the nuts move to the left to the ramp 108. Thenuts slide down the ramp to a shallow well 109 in grate 107.

An elevator 110, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, has two shafts 111 and112 journaled in two parallel upstanding walls 113, 114 connected to theframe 15. Each shaft has a pair of spaced sprockets 115, 116 thereon.Two endless chains 117, 118 received on the sprockets and extend betweenthe shafts 111 and 112. A plurality of buckets 119, received betweenwalls 1 13, 114, are connected across the chains 117, 118 and, as thechains rotate, the buckets scoop nuts out of well 109 which is curved tofollow the path of the buckets. As the chain rotates in the directionindicated by arrows D, the buckets are turned upside down when they passover the upper sprockets of the elevator. A receptacle, which may, forexample, be a conveyor (not shown) or a bag, such as bag 190, ispositioned below the point where the buckets turn over to catch the nutsfalling from the bucket. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, chains 117, 118 arerotated through a sprocket 121 mounted on shaft 111. An endless chain120, received over two idler sprockets 112, 123 connected to wall 114,engages drive sprockets 121. The chain 120 is received over a sprocket124 mounted on shaft 76 of rotary sealing valve 72.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 11, a hydraulic pump 125 is connected to engine32 and is driven thereby to take hydraulic fluid from sump 126 anddeliver it under pressure to pressure line 127. A relief valve 128 isconnected between pressure line 127 and sump 126 to limit the pressurein line 127. Pressure line 127 is connected to the pressure port of areversing valve 129. Valve 129 has two motor ports connectedrespectively to motor lines 130, 131. Motor line 130 is connected to oneside of both wheel motors a and 20b, and line 131 is connected to theopposite sides of the wheel motors. Valve 129 has two discharge ports132, 133 connected to return line 134. The valve 129 has a movable valvemember 135 which can be shifted either to-the left or right of theposition shown by the manually operated lever 136. The valve 129 ismounted in the operators cab 29. When the operator shifts the lever 136forward, to shift valve member 135 to the right (as viewed in FIG. 11),fluid under pressure passes from line !27, through the valve, to motorline 130. This pressure fluid passes through the wheel motors, to drivethe machine forward, and returns from the motors by return line 134.Conversely, when the operator shifts the lever 136 rearward, to shiftvalve member to the left (as viewed in FIG. 11), fluid under pressurepasses from line 127, through the valve, to motor line 131. Thispressure fluid passes through the wheel motors, to drive the machinerearwardly, andreturns from the motors by line 130, passing throughvalve 129, out port 132 to return line 134.-

The rate at which the hydraulic wheel motors turn, and hence the speedof the harvesting machine, is

determined by the setting of hydraulic throttle valve 137. When therotatable valve member 138 is in the position shown in FIG. 11, no fluidcan pass from line 134 to discharge line 139 and the sump 126, so nofluid can flow through the wheel motors. When valve member 138, whichhas a sloping face 140, is rotated by handle 141, fluid can flow throughthe valve at a rate determined by the extent of rotation of valve member138. Thus, the wheel motors can rotate, and drive the harvester, at-aspeed determined by the angular setting of valve handle 141.

Pressure line 127 is connected to an inlet port of blocking valve 145.Valve has a shiftable valve member 146 which when in the position shownin FIG. 11, blocks the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve. Whenthe valve member 146 is shifted to the right (as viewed in FIG. 11) byhandle 147, fluid can flow through the valve from the inlet port to theoutlet port which is connected to motor line 148.. Fluid flowing throughline 148 rotates the auxiliary equipment hydraulic motor 149, and passestherethrough into the discharge line 139 and the sump.

The wheel motors 20a and 20b are mounted on the frame and have sprockets151 and 152 which receive, respectively, endless chains 21a and 21b. Thechains 21a and 21b are received on sprockets 155 and 156 connected,respectively, to axles 16 and 17. The auxiliary equipment motor 149, asshown best in FIG. 9, is mounted on wall 70 and is coupled to ashaft 160ex tending through walls 70 and 63. Shaft 160 is engaged with the inputshaft of gearbox 161, which has an output shaft 162. A pulley 163 ismounted on output shaft 162 and receives an endless belt 164. Belt 164is received in groove 165 of ring 53 on rotor 40, as shown in FIGS. 2and 10, to rotate the rotor by means of the drive train defined byhydraulic motor 149, shaft 160, gearbox 161, shaft 162, pulley 163, andbelt 164; A sprocket 166 on shaft 160 receives chain 167.

The shaft 76 of valve 72, in addition to the sprocket 124 which drivesthe elevator, has a sprocket 168 mounted thereon, shown in FIG. 2, whichreceives chain 167. The shaft 101 of conveyor 100 has a sprocket 169thereon which also receives chain 167. Chain 167 is also engaged withidler sprocket 170 which is adjustably mounted on the frame. Thus, theendless web 105 of conveyor 100 is continuously driven through the drivetrain defined by shaft 149, shaft 160, sprocket 165, chain 167, sprocket168, and sprocket 169. It will be noted that the rotary valve iscontinuously driven by'chain 167 to continuously drive the elevatorthrough chain 120.

The suction, or vacuum, system of the harvester is defined by thesuction tubes 42, the rotor 40, the suction duct 55, the entry chamber57, the intermediate line 131, passing through valve 129, out port 133to chamber 58, and the blower chamber 59. When the engine is started,the fan in the blower chamber blows air out the discharge duct 83. Theonly other openings in the suction system are the six suction openings46a, 46b, 46c, 46d, 46a and 46f at the ends of the suction tubes.Consequently, when the fan is rotating to discharge air out duct 83, airis drawn into the system through the six suction openings and circulatedthrough the system for discharge out duct 83.

As the harvesting machine moves along a longitudinal path, such as thestraight liner path 180 (FIGS. 12A to 12F and 13), the rotor 40 rotatesabout a central axis of rotation B (which continuously intersects path180) to move the suction tubes 42, and the openings 46a, 46b, 46c, 46d,46e, 46f thereof in orbital paths around axis B. Although theopenings atthe ends of the six suction tubes move in the same circular path aboutaxis B with respect to the machine, the paths of openings 46a to 46fover the ground are all different with respect to the ground because theaxis B is advancing with respect to the ground as the rotor rotates.Each of the FIGS. 12A to 12F show the path of one suction opening withrespect to the same two points P and Q fixed on the ground and withrespect to the same linear path 180 followed by the axis B of the rotor.Considering the path of only one of the suction openings, say opening46a, the magnitude of the area of ground covered in relation to thesmall size of the opening in a single pass of the machine should benoted. Although, with six small suction openings, the suction at eachwill be less than if there were only one opening, there will be sixtimes the area of ground covered at any instant as with only oneopening. The six orbiting suction openings will move in overlappingpaths, as can be seen from FIG. 13 (which shows the paths of all theopenings) and nuts which may not be picked up when first encountered byone suction tube, will probably be collected by a subsequent tube ortubes. It should be noted that a nut at point P will be encountered byfour suction openings (46b, 46c, 46c and 47f) while a nut at point willbe encountered by at least five of the openings 46a to 46c.

Debris, including twigs, leaves, dirt, and small stones,

will inevitably be sucked up into the harvester with the nuts. The nutsand debris will pass through the rotor 40, suction duct'SS, into entrychamber 57. As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 5, the nuts and heavier objectsof debris will be centrifugally thrown to the outer side of thescroll-shapedv chamber as the nuts and debris are drawn to the opening64 into the intermediate chamber. As the nuts and debris are pulled intothe intermediate chamber by the suction created throughout the suctionsystem by the blower fan, the nuts and other heavier articles dro'p overthe lip 181 at the-bottom of opening 64 into the rotating valve.

The blower draws air from the intermediate chamber through the centralopening 79 in the wall 70, creating a vortex. in that chambercirculating around the baffle plate 78 therein. The leaves and outerlight debris drawni'nto the intermediate chamber are caught up in thevortex in the chamber and are drawn along a helical path, indicated byarrows 182 in FIG. 5, through opening 79 into the blower chamber. Thisdebris is discharged from the blower chamber through duct 83 to theatmosphere.

The nuts and other heavy debris, which fell into rotaryvalve 72 passthrough the vacuum sealing valve onto the upper run of web of conveyor100. The nuts and smaller debris fall through the upper run and droppartially through the lower run onto a grate 107. Larger debris, such astwigs, is carried out .of the machine to the ground by the upper run ofthe conveyor while the nuts and smaller debris is carried in theopposite direction to well 109 in the grate by the lower run of theconveyor. The grate 107 retains the nuts but passes the dirt and othersmall debris to the ground. The nuts are scooped out of the well by thebuckets 119 of elevator 110 and dumped into bag 190.

Thus, a harvesting machine is provided which pneumatically gathersnutsin a wide swath on each pass of the machine and provides successive,overlapping coverage in the swath. Three separate, effective,separations of the nuts from debris are provided in the machine,including a centrifugal separation and two sizing separations (that is,two separations based on the relative size of the nuts and the debris).

Although the best mode contemplated for carrying out the presentinvention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent thatmodification and variation may be made without departing from what isregarded to be the subject matter of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. [n a pickup and separating machine for lifting randomly dispersedheavy articles and lighter debris from an article supporting surface,said machine having a frame spaced from the surface and movable along alongitudinal path, the combination comprising a rotor mounted on theframe and rotatable thereon about an axis, said rotor having a chamber,a housing mounted on the frame, said housing having a driven blowertherein, means defining a closed passage establishing flow communicationbetween the rotor chamber and said housing, a plurality of suction tubesconnected to said rotor and depending therefrom, said tubes eachproviding unobstructed flow communication with said chamber and definingsuction members all of which terminate close to the article supportingsurface during the pickup operation, said tubes being mounted fororbital movement along pickup paths about said axis as the machine movesalong said longitudinal path with the orbital pickup path of adjacenttubes overlapping, means defining a heavy article discharge passage insaid housing for discharging said heavy articles therefrom, a vacuumsealing valve in said article dischargepassage to pass heavy articlesentering said discharge passage, and'a receptacle to receive the heavyarticles passing through said valve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including a horizontally disposedscroll-shaped baffling in said closed 'passage, an end. plate adjacentsaid scroll-shaped baffling having a discharge opening at one end withan upwardly angled lip for directing the light debris and air movingtherepast upwardlyupon discharge from said discharge opening, saidblower being disposed in said closed passage for rotation about ahorizontal axis and having a central inlet opening above andfacing saidlip for creating a vortex and drawing the light debris and heavyarticles over said lip to centrifugally separate the articles from thelight debris causing. the light debris to enter said central inletopening and the heavy articles to gravitate downwardly.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said rotor is continuouslydriven in one direction during the pickup operation.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said housing is elongatedand is disposed with its longitudinal axis extending horizontally andtransversely of the machine, a first intermediate wall having adischarge opening in its lower end and a second intermediate wall havingan inlet opening concentric with the axis of said blower, said wallsbeing disposed in said housing and dividing said housing into acentrifugal inlet chamber,-

an intermediate vortex chamber and a blower chamber disposed inhorizontal tandem alignment, said blower being disposed in said blowerchamber for rotation about a horizontal axis and being adapted to createa vortex in said vortex chamber through said central inlet opening, ascroll-shaped baffling in said centrifugal inlet chamber for providinginitial centrifugal separating of the heavy articles from the lighterdebris, and a lip on the lower portion of said discharge opening angledupwardly and toward said inlet opening for directing the air, heavyarticles, and light debris toward said vortex whereby the heavy articlesgravitate out'of the vortex and the light debris is drawn into thevortex.

5. In a pickup and separating machine having a suction system forpicking up heavy articles, heavy debris and light debris from asupporting surface, and having a blower for evacuating air from thesuction system, the improvement which comprises; an elongated housingmounted on the machine and having its longitudinal axis extendinghorizontally and transversely of the machine, a first intermediate wallhaving a discharge opening in its lower end and a second intermediatewall having an inlet opening concentric with the axis of said blower insaid housing and dividing said housing into a centrifugal inlet chamber,an intermediate vortex -heavy articles gravitate out of the vortex andthe light debris is drawn into the vortex.

UNE'iED STATES PATEL T OFFICE CERTIFECATE 0F CORRECTION Patent 1714:7653Dated Febllie ili, 973

lnventofls) .TOSEPT-I M PATTERSON It is certified that error appears inthe above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

3 Column 3, line 14, "chains" should be --chain--. "'3

Column 5, line 41, "112 should be --l22-. Column 5, line 64, 127" shouldbe --l27--..

Column 7 line 4 "46a" should be -46e-.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of August 197A.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. 0. MARSHALL DANN I Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. In a pickup and separating machine for lifting randomly dispersedheavy articles and lighter debris from an article supporting surface,said machine having a frame spaced from the surface and movable along alongitudinal path, the combination comprising a rotor mounted on theframe and rotatable thereon about an axis, said rotor having a chamber,a housing mounted on the frame, said housing having a driven blowertherein, means defining a closed passage establishing flow communicationbetween the rotor chamber and said housing, a plurality of suction tubesconnected to said rotor and depending therefrom, said tubes eachproviding unobstructed flow communication with said chamber and definingsuction members all of which terminate close to the article supportingsurface during the pickup operation, said tubes being mounted fororbital movement along pickup paths about said axis as the machine movesalong said longitudinal path with the orbital pickup path of adjacenttubes overlapping, means defining a heavy article discharge passage insaid housing for discharging said heavy articles therefrom, a vacuumsealing valve in said article discharge passage to pass heavy articlesentering said discharge passage, and a receptacle to receive the heavyarticles passing through said valve.
 1. In a pickup and separatingmachine for lifting randomly dispersed heavy articles and lighter debrisfrom an article supporting surface, said machine having a frame spacedfrom the surface and movable along a longitudinal path, the combinationcomprising a rotor mounted on the frame and rotatable thereon about anaxis, said rotor having a chamber, a housing mounted on the frame, saidhousing having a driven blower therein, means defining a closed passageestablishing flow communication between the rotor chamber and saidhousing, a plurality of suction tubes connected to said rotor anddepending therefrom, said tubes each providing unobstructed flowcommunication with said chamber and defining suction members all ofwhich terminate close to the article supporting surface during thepickup operation, said tubes being mounted for orbital movement alongpickup paths about said axis as the machine moves along saidlongitudinal path with the orbital pickup path of adjacent tubesoverlapping, means defining a heavy article discharge passage in saidhousing for discharging said heavy articles therefrom, a vacuum sealingvalve in said article discharge passage to pass heavy articles enteringsaid discharge passage, and a receptacle to receive the heavy articlespassing through said valve.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 including ahorizontally disposed scroll-shaped baffling in said closed passage, anend plate adjacent said scroll-shaped baffling having a dischargeopening at one end with an upwardly angled lip for directing the lightdebris and air moving therepast upwardly upon discharge from saiddischarge opening, said blower being disposed in said closed passage forrotation about a horizontal axis and having a central inlet openingabove and facing said lip for creating a vortex and drawing the lightdebris and heavy articles over said lip to centrifugally separate thearticles From the light debris causing the light debris to enter saidcentral inlet opening and the heavy articles to gravitate downwardly. 3.An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said rotor is continuouslydriven in one direction during the pickup operation.
 4. An apparatusaccording to claim 1 wherein said housing is elongated and is disposedwith its longitudinal axis extending horizontally and transversely ofthe machine, a first intermediate wall having a discharge opening in itslower end and a second intermediate wall having an inlet openingconcentric with the axis of said blower, said walls being disposed insaid housing and dividing said housing into a centrifugal inlet chamber,an intermediate vortex chamber and a blower chamber disposed inhorizontal tandem alignment, said blower being disposed in said blowerchamber for rotation about a horizontal axis and being adapted to createa vortex in said vortex chamber through said central inlet opening, ascroll-shaped baffling in said centrifugal inlet chamber for providinginitial centrifugal separating of the heavy articles from the lighterdebris, and a lip on the lower portion of said discharge opening angledupwardly and toward said inlet opening for directing the air, heavyarticles, and light debris toward said vortex whereby the heavy articlesgravitate out of the vortex and the light debris is drawn into thevortex.